"Thank you for the meal~."
Irina hurried out of the dining room, her heart still racing as she strode quickly through the corridors. She moved purposefully, her footsteps echoing off the polished floors as she made her way outside to the garden. The moment she stepped into the open air, she took a deep breath, letting the cool breeze help calm the lingering heat in her cheeks.
'Get it together,' she told herself, placing a hand over her chest to steady her pulse. She forced herself to look at things from an objective perspective, reminding herself of the task at hand: Astron was about to face the Chamber of Emberheart—a place that demanded far more than simple endurance.
Just as she began to compose her thoughts, she heard footsteps behind her. Turning, she saw Astron emerging from the mansion, his expression steady as always. For a moment, she felt that same flicker of frustration at his calmness, but she pushed it aside, focusing on what needed to be done.
